Wrench.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1908.

W. F. CORBIN.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 0, 1907.

llllllll llll wi lmeoaes W KM c'] Norma UNITED STATE WALTER F. OORBIN,OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1908.

Application filed May 6, 1907. Serial No. 372,234.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \"VALTER F. CoRBIN, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in wrenches, and more particularlyin pipe wrenches; and its object is to provide the same with various newand useful features hereinafter more fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, reference be ing had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1. is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention; Fig.2. the same with parts broken away; Fig. 3. an inverted plan of F ig. 1.with one jaw in transverse section and, Fig. 4. a transverse section onthe line 4l-4 of Fig. 2.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

1 represents the handle or lever having a series of ratchet teeth 2 inits upper side 3 a lateral projection on the end of the sameconstituting one jaw of the wrench and projecting at right angles to thelever; 4 is the other jaw projecting from a slide surrounding andadjustable on the handle toward and from the jaw 3, and projecting fromone corner of a substantially rectangular head slidable on the handle 1and provided in its side opposite the jaw with a channel or groove 5extending wholly across the head, and in which is a pawl 6 pivoted onthe transverse pivot 7, and yieldingly held in engagement with theratchet 2 by a spring 14. This pawlextends wholly across the upper sideof the head, and is provided with a multiplicity of teeth or projectionsto engage the ratchet whereby it is given greater strength to hold theadjustable jaw.

It will be noted that the jaw 4 tends to tilt the slide and thusfrictionally lock the slide on the lever, the walls of the opening atthe diagonally opposite corners of the same being thusengaged with theopposite sides of the lever, it will also be noted that the pawl engagesthe ratchet near the corner of the slide which is forced away from thelever by the jaw, and thus aids in this frictional binding of the head,furthermore that the edge of the handle at both sides where so engagedis smooth and has no ratchet teeth, the result being much less strain onthe pawl and a more effective holding of the slide in place. Placing thepawl at the angle of the slide that is forced toward the handle, as isusually done prevents binding of the slide on the handle, and thusthrows all the holding strain on the pawl, and also brings addedpressure on the pawl due to forcing the jaw toward the same.

The jaw 3 is provided with a corrugated gripper 8 fixed thereon by meansof flanges 9 embracing the jaw 3 and extending within grooves therein,being secured in place by a transverse screw 10. A like corrugatedgripper 11 is provided for the jaw 4 arranged opposite the gripper 8 andinclined at about thirty degrees thereto, being slidable longitudinallyon the said jaw, whereby as this gripper slides 011 the same toward thelever 1, it approaches the opposing aw and thus the grip is tightenedupon whatever is placed therebetween. This gripper 11 is provided with atongue 17 slidable within agroove 16 in the jaw 4 and secured therein bya transverse screw or pin 12 passing through an elongated opening orslot 20 in the tongue to permit the same to move longitudinally in thegroove. T o yieldingly hold this gripper in its outward position, aspring 18 is inserted in a longitudinal opening in the tongue andengages the screw 12 at one end, and a screw plug 19 inserted in theouter end of the opening at the other end. This spring pressing againstthese two members normally and yieldingly holds the gripper 11 in itsoutermost position and when the gripper is engaged with a pipe or nut,the spring will yield and permit the gripper 11 to slide on the inclinedsurface of the jaw and thus become wedged firmly against whatever isbetween it and the other gripper S.

T 0 permit ready adjustment of the movable jaw 4 it is provided with aconcavity 13 in the back of the jaw and also extending within the headnear the corner diagonally opposite the forward end of the pawl 6, withwhich concavity the finger of the operator is engaged to slide the jaw,while the thumb is pressed upon the diagonally opposite end of the pawl6 and opposite the spring 14 to release the pawl from the ratchet teeth.

I am thus able to provide a very convenient, quick-acting and easilyadjusted pipe I tongue also being provided with a transverse Wrench, soconstructed that it maybe easily machined and manufactured.

What I claim is:

In a Wrench, a lever, a fixed jaw projecting laterally from the end ofthe lever, a jaw slidable on the lever and projecting at an acute anglefrom the lever, and also having a longitudinal groove, a gripper on thefixed jaw, a gripper slidable on the inclined jaw and having a tongueslidable in the groove, said slot and a longitudinal opening, a pin inthe slot, a plug to close the opening, and a spring engaging the pin andthe plug at its respec- 15 tive ends.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER F. CORBIN. l/Vitnesses ELMER E. JOHNSON, JOHN KNOTTUERUS.

